What If
by TheIcePrincess98
Summary: Who knows what would have happened if Hiei's past was different? Here's my version. Note: There is a chance of OOCness for Hiei. :D
1. A New Life

We all know our favorite fire demon well. Hiei, the master of the Jagan. Hiei, the quiet one with the unthinkable destructive power. Hiei, the protective brother. Hiei, the one who can't stand humans and their stupidity. His tear-wrenching past made him who he is today. If it wasn't for the Ice Maidens fearing his raw energy and banishing him from their floating oasis, what would have become of this fire demon? If the bandits hadn't raised him, how would have Hiei became the master swordsman he had become? Read on, dear reader. Dive into the depths of a parallel universe where Hiei isn't the Hiei we know him as.

"I heard Hina gave birth to twins, and one of them is a boy!"

"She has broken the laws of our culture, and now she must pay for her mistake."

The wind swirled ice and snow around two women, one of them carrying two small children. Rui bade farewell to her friend, knowing that the death of Hina's children were scheduled for the next morning. If her children were to survive, this may be their only hope. However, the plains of the Makai might have the same outcome.

"Thank you, Rui. I will see you again. You have always been my best friend."

The young Ice Maiden held back tears and softly waved her hand, watching the other walk away in order to begin her new life.

"Mommy, Mommy! Look at what Hiei's doing!" Yukina dashed up to her mother, the bottom of her aqua kimono soaked with water from the small pond by their small home.

Hina looked up from her sewing and frowned, watching her young son slashing as the water with the sword he found while wandering around one time. The dark-haired fire demon was soaked by the time his mother noticed his frolicking.

"Hiei, stop playing the water! You'll catch a cold!" Hina frowned as her son simply waved and continued what he was doing, ever the defiant one.

Yukina tugged softly and her mother's kimono, her small five-year-old face begging for attention. "Mommy, can I go inside and play with my doll?"

"Of course, sweetheart." Hina ruffled her daughter's hair and started to head over to Hiei, still giggling foolishly while slicing unknown water foes.

"Momma, the fish keep moving."

Hina sighed softly. _Oh, so that's what he's doing…_ "Hiei, honey, I don't think a sword is the best way to catch a fish…"

Hiei's face fell and let his sword hang loosely at his side. "Oh."

Hina watched her son head back to the house, a thoughtful expression on his face and leaving a trail of water behind him. She made a mental note to tell him to make a fishing pole. Hina sighed and made her way back to the porch.

Hiei plopped down on the floor in his room, it being cluttered with various trinkets that had been dug up from around the lake. He struggled with his black shirt and pants, feeling uncomfortable in the wet clothing. Yukina poked her head in and giggled, finding amusement in her brother being soaked. Hiei flushed and chucked his shoe at her, smirking as she dodged with a squeal.

Yukina grinned her sweet little girl smile and wandered into her brother's room, earning an uneasy glance from Hiei. He had already lost one shoe to his sister, leaving him with very little ammunition. The little Ice Maiden leaned over and gave the fire yokai a peck on his cheek, causing him to yelp with surprise and tip backwards a bit.

"Yukina!"

The dark-haired boy scrambled to his feet, leaving his left shoe and shirt on the floor. Yukina ran down the hallway to her room, pulling the door shut and locking her brother out. Hiei let a small pout appear on his face, crossing his small arms with frustration.

The fire yokai headed back to his room to continue changing, grabbing his black tennis shoe from against the wall. His mind flickered from thing to thing from his short life as he slipped on his other pair of black pants and blue top. The white starburst on his hair appeared a bright glowing white from the afternoon light shining in from the window above his dark blue bed.

In the next room, Yukina laid out in her light blue bed, clutching her rag doll in the crook of one arm. The afternoon sun beat down on her young face, highlighting the aqua locks that created a frame around her face. A red ribbon held the strands back from her neck, allowing the black string holding her mother's tear necklace to be visible.

Hina sighed softly as she cleaned up the small puddles on the floor of their small kitchen. Her memories flickered back to the day she left her best friend and her culture behind, all for her children. She often wondered what had happened to those from Koorime, but Hiei and Yukina kept her busy. She was thankful for their happiness, but sometimes she couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if she stayed in the Ice Maiden village.

They were safe enough from any trouble, away from Koorime, out on the plains of the Makai where most demons can be seen from miles away. Hiei's intense demonic energy also warded off many who would attempt to cause the trio any trouble. Their lives were calm and carefree, filled with simple joys. Hina knew they would have to leave her one day, but she desperately hoped that day wouldn't come anytime soon.


	2. EightArms

Yukina stared out into the fading sunset with a soft frown, once again realizing that Hiei wouldn't be home for supper. She pushed her soft aqua hair behind her ear, letting out a soft sigh. The ice maiden turned towards the small house she shared with her mother and brother, deciding that waiting for the fire demon would cause dinner to be very late. Hina had already started cooking the meal by the time her daughter slipped inside. Her eyes were tired and restless, it being a long time since she last saw the land of Ice and Snow. Yukina and Hiei, although small for their age, were the equivalent of two ten year old children- and yet they seemed so much older.

"Hiei's still out?"

Yukina nodded softly. "He said he wanted to see what was out there beyond our little home."

"I supposed as much. He has always been oddly withdrawn and curious for a demon. I half expected him to turn into a tyrant." Hina laughed softly, making sure her daughter knew that that was a ridiculous notion. However, Yukina didn't know the truth behind that statement.

"Mother?"

Hina glanced up once again.

"Mother, have you ever been to the human world? It sounds so interesting from the books Hiei brought me. Perhaps he'll take me there one day."

"Hm… Perhaps. No, I have sadly never been there, but I'm sure it's lovely."

The two women glanced up as the door shut with a soft thump. A familiar dark haired fire yokai wandered into the kitchen, drawn by the scent of cooking food. A soft smile played across his lips, letting a hand wander and lovingly muss his sister's hair. She ducked away and grinned, simply glad he was home. However, Hina abruptly looked up as she heard the words from her son's mouth

"I found a trace of a portal to the human world today. It was used recently. The scent of a slime demon was all over it. I ended up running into another demon, yet he seemed to be trapped in a human body. Kurama- that was his name. I never knew that demons actually_ lived _in the Nigenkai."

Hina frowned softly. "You actually went to the human world?"

"Uh-huh. It was a little difficult, considering I had to lower my demonic energy…" Hiei trailed off, glancing at his feet.

"Oh, Hiei!" Yukina grinned widely, wrapping her arms around his left one. "Next time, could I come too?"

Hiei simply stared at her, with a mix of surprise and confusion. "Um, I suppose. It didn't seem dangerous."

Hina smiled and went back to fixing the meal. Her son was growing up.

The red moon shone over the plains of demon world, casting eerie shadows from the brush scattered about like decaying tombstones. Some unfortunate demon howled in pain, proving that one was the stronger. In a rustic cabin by a shimmering lake, two demon children slept peacefully, dreaming about the tale of a young ice maiden their mother just recited to them. Their mother, feeling restless about that very true tale, sat alone in the dimly lit den, trying to will herself to sleep. The chilling wind raked across the lake, causing soft red ripples on the reflective surface. A shadow crept its way across the landscape, only a shimmering reflection of an eight-armed creature as a clue to its identity.

The demon showed its terrible teeth with a gnarly grin, clenching its claws around the small iron doorknob. The wooden door creaked open, showing the silhouette of a young woman from the dimly lit room. She swiftly rose, peering out at the front of the house to see what had opened the door. She braced herself, only to see nothing there. She relaxed her guard turning back to the rocker she had been perched in only moments before. Suddenly, something grabbed her waist and wrapped a hand around her mouth, yanking her towards her unknown foe.

Hina struggled against him the best she could, kicking and bending her icy aura around her attacker. The ice maiden tipped over the rocker, causing a loud enough crash to wake up a rather annoyed fire demon. Yet, by the time he and Yukina had gotten out there, it was too late. The eight-armed demon stood hulking in the hallway, blood around the edge of his mouth and the same type of stains on the carpet. Yukina screamed and started crying, small pearls scattering across the floor. Hiei clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes, forcing all his emotions into one: anger.

Hiei launched himself at the beast, causing it to stagger backwards only slightly. Eight-Arms smirked and sent a hard right blow to the boy with two of his muscular arms, causing Hiei to fly backwards into the wall. His sister gasped and raised a hand to her horror struck face.

The larger demon chuckled. "You silly boy. You're weak, just like your mother was!"

Hiei struggled to his feet, the heavy blow overwhelming his young body. He hadn't been through many fights, let alone any nearly as brutal. He ran at Eight-Arms, tiny fists aiming at the demon's stomach. The fire demon's fast speed kept the larger demon from dodging in time, but the blow did little damage. Hiei, desperate to save his sister and avenge his mother's gruesome death, attacked again, swinging his foot against the demon's ribs. Unfortunately, Eight-Arms caught the yokai's foot, sending him flying to the ground. Yukina cried out, unable to assist her brother due to fear freezing her limbs. Hiei's arms shook as he tried to force himself to his feet. Blood ran down his right arm and forehead, the rest of his body littered with small bruises.

The terrible demon laughed again and sent his foot down onto the boy's back, forcing Hiei to let out a muffled yelp. By the time the demon's foot was removed, the fire yokai had his eyes shut and was unmoving.

Yukina tried to hide herself in the dark corner, knowing that the large demon would come for her next. Sure enough, Eight-Arms turned towards the young ice maiden. She let out a shriek and was roughly swung across his back. Yukina struggled with all her strength, just as her mother had done, against the demon. Eight-Arms smirked and knocked out the aqua-haired girl.

"I'll save you for later. Two Ice Maidens at once- it must be my lucky day."

Although Hiei didn't even have enough strength left to open his eyes, he clearly heard what the demon uttered as he thrust himself out the door.


	3. The Doctor

Hiei's eyes flickered open, his injuries already almost healed. His red orbs scanned the destroyed house, letting them rest on the red stain from the night before. The young demon pushed himself to his feet with a grimace, muttering curses under his breath.

"Dammit…"

He knew what he had to do. Grabbing his rustic sword and tightening his belt, the fire demon took off across the Makai plains, searching for any sign of his sister. He stumbled through brush and grasses, reopening a few of his injuries. Bloodstained and worn out, he came upon a dome-like structure by a large forest. A tall man with a long, black ponytail stood out front, testing a ring like object, sharpened to a pointed edge. Hiei paused, breathing heavily.

"Who might you be, weakling?" The man didn't even turn towards the fire yokai.

"I'm… I'm not weak."

Shigure raised a pierced eyebrow and turned to face the fire demon, causing a small bell to tinkle. "Oh? What might your story be?"

"My mother was killed and my sister was kidnapped… I have to find her."

"Hm… Do you know who I am?"

"No. Should I?"

"My name is Shigure. I am a demon operator, mainly for Jagan implants. I only operate on those with an interesting story and a withstanding for pain. You have already proven yourself for one of those, wandering throughout demon world with all those injuries."

"A… a Jagan implant?"

"Yes, an all-seeing eye used with physic abilities such as telepathy, mind-reading, and a tracking ability."

This caught the young fire demon's attention. Hardening his expression, he decided what he needed to do.

"Could I perhaps receive one?"

Shigure's lips curled into an amused grin.

"Oh? You'll have to tell your story in completion. If I am interested, then I will perform the surgery."

And so, Hiei retold the fairy tale depicting the life of a young ice maiden, the very same one she told the night she died.

Hiei woke up on a cold white operating table, a dim, flickering light hanging above him. The 'doctor' was nowhere in sight, leaving the yokai alone. Weak and drained of all demonic energy, the fire demon raised a hand to his bandaged forehead, wincing with pain. He made his way outside, to where Shigure was practicing once again with the ringed sword he had. Making his way down the steps weakly, Hiei planted his foot firmly on the rough demonic grass. Shigure turned back towards the building, watching the yokai with curiosity.

"Where do you think you're going? The operation has drained you of all your demonic energy."

"I have to get to Yukina…"

"You're in no shape to help now. Stay and I can assist you with your swordsmanship."

Hiei paused, considering his offer.

Eight-Arms cackled loudly, the deep-throated laugh echoing around the chamber. The young Ice Maiden squirmed under his touch, recoiling away from him. Slime-demon chuckled softly, watching as his master toyed with his next meal.

"Ha-ha. Looks like your brother did die after all! Now who's going to save you?"

Yukina squeezed her eyes together, not saying a word even if the fear was consuming her other emotions. The larger demon reached out again, running a hand through her aqua locks. She backed against the wall, her voice shaking and quiet.

"Hiei isn't dead…"

"Foolish girl, don't you realize that the Master killed him? Or did you block the memory because it's too painful?" The Slime-demon sneered softly from the far wall.

"Hiei is alive… He will come… He will…"

Her voice grew softer and softer as she repeated reassuring words to herself, staying alive and fighting back as much as she could until her brother could find his way to her.


	4. Rescue and a Best Friend

A young human male, about the age of eleven, shuffled down a quiet suburban street next to a pretty girl about the same age. Her brown eyes, matching her boy-cut brown hair, drifted up to the male's soft green ones. His short red hair framed his feminine features, which pointed towards the sky in front of him.

"So, you didn't know?" Maya watched her first love intently.

"No, I'm sorry."

Shuichi Minamino, known to the demon realm as Youko Kurama, turned towards his good friend, his heart aching with the need for turning her love away. He couldn't endanger her life with the recent demon activity hunting him down. Suddenly, the brush behind the pair rustled softly, causing Kurama to turn guardedly. A shorter male with dark spiked hair and a bandage wound around his forehead stumbled out, his red eyes shining with defiance.

"Hiei!" The red-head frowned softly at the sight of his friend. "What is it?"

"Hn, Kurama, I need your assistance. My sister has been kidnapped by Eight-Hands. I- I can't take him on alone…"

Green eyes furrowed softly considering the offer. "Hm. The Jagan implant is new…"

The smaller male nodded. "Will you assist me though?"

Kurama turned towards Maya. "Wait here. I have to deal with this."

"Um, okay…" The flustered girl watched curiously as her friend led the short male off to the side.

A large purplish hand grasped her shoulder, followed by a demonic grin placed in front of her face. "Hello, little girl. Let's take a little trip to see my master."

Another demon helped pull Maya away, her voice frozen with fear.

Meanwhile….

"I'm afraid I must decline your request. I have other duties to attend to here. Other priorities."

Hiei looked down, his fists clenching with annoyance. "I already lost my mother… I can't lose Yukina too…"

Kurama glanced down. "I apologize, but I have my own family to look after." With that, he turned away from the fire demon.

Hiei sighed and watched the kitsune leave before flitting off to save his sister.

The red-head turned the knob of the door of the small home he shared with his mother. His green eyes scanned the house, deciding that Shiori wasn't home from work quite yet. He perched himself at the kitchen table to work on his homework when the phone rang. Sighing, he went over to pick it up on the second ring.

"Hey, Dipwad, Maya isn't home yet. I thought you were supposed to walk her back home!"

Kurama froze as Maya's brother's voice came through the phone. Dropping the phone, Kurama took off after Hiei. The fire demon glanced at the kitsune began to follow him. Kurama simply nodded softly.

"Something came up."

Eight-Arms smirked at his two prisoners, Yukina and Maya. Maya was out cold while the Ice Maiden watched the demon with fear reflected in her red eyes. Just then, two figures burst through the door of the storage house the large demon was occupying. Hiei launched himself at Eight-Arms, leaving Kurama to analyze their enemy's actions. Thrown down by the large demon, Hiei watched as Kurama pulled out a grass blade to attack. Kurama was soon knocked down as well, mainly because of the human body he inhabited.

"Ha-ha! You are pathetic!"

With a look from Kurama, the two began zipping around Eight-Arms, landing attacks on his muscular body. Eight-Arms threw them off with a grin and laughed loudly.

"You two are even worse together than you are apart!"

Suddenly, Eight-Arms gasped loudly, Hiei piercing the demon's chest just as Kurama did the same from the front. His eyes closing softly, Eight-Arms fell down, dead.

Yukina stood on the corner of a human street, watching her brother and the young red-head.

"I suppose we'll cross paths again someday."

Kurama nodded, shifting his hold on Maya, who was asleep on his back. "I am sure of it. Take care, Hiei."

Hiei smiled softly and let his eyes wander to the girl on the kitsune's back. "So you used some sort of plant to erase her memories?"

"Yes…" _And when she wakes, she'll forget all her feelings for me as well. I can't continue to put her in such danger._

Hiei turned and joined his sister, the pair waving as Kurama went to deliver Maya home.


	5. Welcome, Spirit Detective!

Three years passed before our heroes crossed paths once again. Kurama- his hair long because his mother preferred it that way- met the not-so-young fire demon in a clearing in a forest.

"You want me to what?" Hiei stared in disbelief at the kitsune.

"I know this is not the best circumstance, yet I need your help. This is the only way I can save my mother."

Hiei looked down and sighed. The day his mother died was still fresh in his memory, causing sympathy to rise up in him for the fox. He knew theft was wrong, his mother drilled moralities into him and his sister since birth, yet he knew the pain of losing one's mother. He clenched his jaws and looked the red-head in the eye.

"Alright- but we better not get caught."

The kitsune smiled softly. "Thank you, my friend. I have recruited a third- just to be safe- in order to assist us. He's waiting nearby."

The fire demon nodded and followed the fox through the woods.

Lord Koenma, Prince of the Spirit World Placed his head in his hands as he attempted to complete the massive amount of paperwork his father assigned him to complete. He glanced up as one of his head Ferry Girls entered the office- Ayame. She silently handed him a report from another area of the Reikai and slipped off, as was her tendency. Koenma let his eyes scan the sheet, his brown orbs slowly growing wider as the sheet progressed.

"AHH! Ogre! Get Botan now!"

He stared down at the sheet in horror, small beads of sweat forming on his toddler face.

"… My father is going to kill me when he gets home."

Suddenly a perky blue-haired girl in a pink kimono flew through the large double doors on her oar. "Knock, knock!"

"Botan… You remember Yusuke Urameshi, right?"

Hiei watched in apprehension as Goki defiantly tried to take the remaining two artifacts from himself and Kurama. The red-head sighed and shook his head, only to be interrupted by a human teenager crashing through the undergrowth. The short male glanced up from his perch at the base of a large oak at his appearance. The teen's hair was slicked back with gel and a dark ebony color. He proudly sported a light green jump suit and stood relaxed as if he didn't just encounter three demons in the heart of a forest.

He grinned and took in the appearances of the trio. "Excuse me, neighbors. Couldn't help but notice there's no rain falling here." He waved a very umbrella like tree branch at the three. "Maybe the next time you go off stealing some magic toys, you pick a place that's not so obviously sunny. It's just a tip."

Hiei glanced up at the thunderclouds overhead, and the rain evaporating as soon as it hit their combined demon energy, making a kind of umbrella over the clearing. He then turned his eyes back to the newcomer.

Goki frowned. "Who are you and how do you know about the artifacts? Give us your name."

The teen grinned. "Well, thank you. Hoped you'd ask." He tossed the tree branch aside. "Hello, boys! The name's Yusuke and I'm the spirit detective."

Goki clenched his fists. "Spirit detective?"

Hiei sighed. "Is he one of those humans employed by Koenma, Kurama? His spirit energy is pathetic…"

Kurama sighed. "Never mind him, Hiei. It's time we took our leave." He turned and headed off, quickly followed by the fire demon.

Yusuke frowned. "Hey! Where are you two going?"

Hiei paused and glanced back at the detective. Kurama kept walking. "Come now, Hiei. We don't have time to be arrested."

Goki glared as the two disappeared with two of the artifacts. "Stop! You two can't just walk out on our plan!"

Yusuke glanced at where they disappeared. "Hey, don't leave yet guys. I just got here." He paused and when it seemed like they were gone for good, Yusuke frowned. "So much for manners."

Hiei glanced up at the fox. "Do you think Goki finished Yusuke off?"

"Probably not. I still sense his spirit signature. How is your sister?"

"She's doing fine… I told her about what happened. Yukina wasn't thrilled and I wasn't surprised. We've never really gotten in much trouble before."

A smile slipped onto Kurama's face as he studied Hiei's innocent one. The fire demon had lead a sheltered life up until his mother's death and, after using the Forlorn Hope, the kitsune hoped he would continue to stay out of trouble without his help.

"I'm going to meet Yusuke and ask him to wait until the full moon before we return the artifacts to him."

Hiei glanced up. "How come you have to wait until then?"

"Because, unlike the Shadow Sword and the Orb of Baast, the Forlorn Hope can only work on the full moon. Therefore, I must wait until then to save my mother."

Hiei nodded. "I wish something like that could have saved _my_ mother…"

Kurama grew quiet, sensing that Hiei needed no response after such a statement.

Three days later, as promised, Yusuke Urameshi was faced with the remaining two demons, having finished off Goki a couple of days earlier. Kurama was leaning against the wall of the hospital, while Hiei remained perched in a high reaching tree nearby.

The red-head smiled softly. "Good. You came."

He lead the two upstairs to room 501, belonging to one Shiori Minamino. Yusuke watched as a dark-haired woman struggled to sit up on their entry.

"Oh, Shuichi, it's been such a long time since you brought anyone other than Hiei when you came to visit me."

Kurama jumped to her side and rested a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, Mother, you don't have to sit up."

Hiei noticed a look of confusion flash across the detective's face.

"It's not so bad- I'm feeling much better today."

"Shall I peel an apple for you?"

"No, I'm not hungry…"

The kitsune sighed softly. "Please eat, Mother. You'll never get well without nutrition."

"Yes, of course. It's just hard to remember these things, Shuichi."

Hiei smirked as Yusuke's confused face went blank, as if he had just appeared in a completely different situation. It was very likely that he had in a way.

"Well, try hard. I need you to get well quickly." The red-head continued his conversation with his ill mother, blissfully unaware of the detective's confusion.

Up on the roof of the hospital, Kurama began to explain. "Shuichi is the name I've taken in my human form. That woman is my mother. Sort of. My father passed away years ago. For fifteen years, she has brought me up, while I have deceived her."

Yusuke frowned. "Sorry, I'm not following."

Hiei stood up from his seat on the roof. "His truest name is Youko. He was a fox- a spirit fox- who had gained the powers of a demon over the years he lived."

"Yes, Hiei is right. Although, after a while, I became bored and passed my time learning the art of breaking codes and seals. Ancient treasures were my favorite sport. But fifteen years ago, I made a careless mistake and was badly injured by a strong pursuer. With the last energy I had, I escaped to the living world and became the child of a proud human family. Knowing that if I could stand humanity for ten years my spirit energy would have enough time to safely recover. Then, I would disappear without a trace."

"I take it something went wrong." The green clad teen shoved his hands in his pockets, glancing over to the fire demon and then back to Kurama.

"My mother fell ill. I know it might sound foolish, but I couldn't leave her. Considering what she had done for me, I was a son who loved his mother."

"That's when I ran into him, while exploring a portal to the human world by my home in the demon realm. We had that in common, as my mother was still alive at that point. Now I am left to watch after my sister." Hiei stared up at the detective, sadness filling his red orbs.

"Later, Goki tracked me down, needing my expertise in theft- that's when I remembered the powers of the Forlorn Hope. I recruited the assistance of Hiei here…" Kurama studied the mirror thoughtfully. "Did you know that in some species, the child eats its mother? Let me use the Forlorn Hope to save my human mother, and we shall return these items to you without a fight, accepting our punishment."

Yusuke let a frown cross his face. "But… why would a monster do that for a human?"

"I don't know. Maybe because I'm guilty. Maybe because I feel like I am one of those mother-devouring creatures. I've caused her great pains- it's hard raising a child who thinks you're inferior. I feel I broke her spirit, like maybe, in some way, I caused her disease."

Yusuke stepped towards the kitsune. "Why are you telling me all this?"

Kurama let out a weak laugh. "Maybe I just needed someone with human ears to know. Besides, I could tell that you would trust me."

Suddenly a nurse opened the door of the stairwell in a panic. "Shuichi! It's your mother!"

Downstairs, outside of Shiori's hospital room, a doctor frowned softly. "She's fallen into what we call 'The Critical Stage.' Basically, your mother is about to die."

Kurama held his own as Hiei and Yusuke stood nearby. "How long?"

"Probably tonight. We'll do our best. Shuichi, I'm sorry."

Back on the roof, Kurama looked away from his two companions. "I have no choice."

"You'll use it tonight, Is that what you mean?" Yusuke clenched his fists. "I heard you had to dish out something in order to make it work. So, do you know what that something is?"

Kurama nodded. "Yes. Life."

Yusuke and Hiei gasped softly, neither of them expecting such a drastic price.

"Forlorn Hope, I ask for you to wake from your sleep and hear my plea. Reflect my greatest desire so that you can make it true."

The mirror glowed brightly as a deep voice emanated from it. "The health and happiness of this woman, is that what you desire?"

"It is."

Yusuke covered his eyes from the brightness. "Hey! Can't you hold on a minute and work things out? I mean there's gotta be another way to do this!"

"No, there is not."

"To grant this wish, you must give your life. Is that what you desire?" The mirror's voice echoed around the rooftop.

"If that will save my mother's life, then yes, it is."

"Then your desire shall be fulfilled."

Kurama gasped as his life began to get drained away by the Forlorn Hope. Hiei stood back, watching in horror as another person he was close to got their life drained away. The fire demon's eyes widened as Yusuke threw himself into the mirror's path as well, yelling out "No!"

"What are you doing?" Kurama frowned, while Hiei was frozen to his spot in shock.

"Hey Mirror Guy, can you hear me? I want you to take my life instead so that Kurama can live and he can still get his wish, isn't that right?"

Hiei clenched his fists and threw himself into the mirror's path as well. "Take some of my life too!"

"This doesn't make sense!" Kurama glanced between the two.

"What doesn't make sense is rescuing your mom only to spend her whole life mourning the death of her son! I've seen that once before and I don't want to see it again."

"Nobody, not even a human, deserves to lose the one they care about most." Hiei frowned at the fox, pure determination reflected in his eyes.

"Your desire shall be fulfilled!" The mirror's voice echoed around them, casting off an even brighter light.

Kurama was the first to wake. "I'm still alive. But what about my mother?" He quickly dashed off to his mother's hospital room.

Hiei and Yusuke woke, in order to hear the mirror's final words.

"In honor of your noble deed, I fulfilled his desire without taking a life."


	6. Back to the Old Life

Hiei stared out at the night sky from his perch on a human world rooftop, the one specifically belonging to one Yusuke Urameshi. Koenma had been gracious when the artifacts were returned to him, each without even a scratch. Kurama and himself were put on probation for ten years, left to wander around Yusuke's home town. He had gotten permission to return to his home in demon world and collect Yukina, allowing the fire demon to protect her while she got to explore the human realm. Atsuko Urameshi, the mother of the spirit detective, gladly welcomed the pair into her home- although Hiei couldn't help but suspect that she was a tad tipsy at the time.

A month after Hiei and Yukina settled in the human world, Yusuke was sent on his next mission, to find and arrest the demon Rando. The teen succeeded in completing his mission and became a famous physics' protégé. It made six months since that day, and Yusuke was returning from his training with the Master Genkai.

Yukina smiled as she answered the Urameshi's door the next afternoon, Hiei off exploring once again. Keiko grinned happily at the young ice maiden, although not realizing the girl and her brother were in fact demons. Yusuke made them promise to keep their identity under the radar until he found a way to explain his predicament to the human girl.

"Oh, hello, Yukina."

"What's wrong, Keiko? You seem distracted."

"It's just Yusuke. He's been gone for so long, it just doesn't seem considerate not to tell us where he's been."

Atsuko grinned from behind the aqua-haired girl. "Cheer up, Keiko! Today makes six months, and yusuke swears it's something important."

"I know, but-"

"He calls every couple of weeks, so at least we know he's alright. I know my brother doesn't show it, but he's worried as well." Yukina smiled softly. "He is a very nice person, especially for letting Hiei and I stay with him."

"I wish he'd tell me what kind of camp this is, though. That's Yusuke for you." Atsuko fingered the cigarette in her mouth thoughtfully.

"Oh, I can't help wondering if it's even worth waiting for him."

"Aw Keiko, cheer up!" Yusuke's mother grinned at the school girl. "One thing I've learned throughout all this is that Yusuke always comes back."

Yukina stared blankly at the pair. "What do you mean?"

Keiko sighed softly. "Don't worry about it, Yukina. Anyway, let's go out into town today. Okay?"

Yukina nodded happily and followed the girl down the street.

After a while of Keiko pouting over how annoyed she was with the boy and Yukina hurrying to keep up after the brunette's furious long strides, Keiko paused as a figure approached them. His clothes were ragged and his black hair fell sloppily in front of his eyes, but the pair recognized him right off.

"Long time no see, huh?" Yusuke grinned ridiculously at the girls.

"Yusuke!"

After an exchange of greetings, the detective smirked at the short ice maiden. "So, where's your brother at today?"

"He's around here somewhere, I suppose." Yukina glanced upward, as if expecting him to be sitting on the roof of one of the nearby houses- which of course was entirely plausible.

"Well, I was gonna meet Kuwabara in town… How about you two come with us?"

Keiko nodded her okay while the aqua-haired girl grinned softly. "Alright, I'd love to meet some other humans!" She skipped down the street before Keiko had time to question the statement.

Kazuma Kuwabara, relaxing on a bench near the road, waited for his friend/arch-rival to appear. He saw three shapes on the horizon, two of them immediately recognizing as Yusuke and Keiko. He squinted a bit at the shorter figure, his heart beating in his ears at what he saw. She was short an petite, sporting aqua-colored hair pulled back in a ponytail with a red ribbon. Clad in a pink summer dress, the girl was absolutely beautiful to him. The tall male leaped up from his seat and hurried over to greet her.

"Why hello, what might your name be?" He clasped the small girl's hands and blushed softly.

"Y-Yukina…" She stared at the man in surprise, a small blush creeping onto her cheeks as well.

The orange-haired male was sent spiraling back as Yusuke's fist connected with his forehead. "Thanks for saying hi, Kuwabara."

"Hey! What was that for?"

"I get back after six weeks and you ignore me. The least you could do is say 'how ya doin'?'"

Keiko frowned and crossed her arms. "You guys fight like an old married couple. Come on, Yukina. Let's go get us all some milkshakes."

The two guys watched the pair head over to an ice cream stand and then plopped down on the bench Kuwabara was sitting on earlier.

"So where'd you find the girl?"

"Who? Keiko? Oh, she's been around for years-"

"Not Keiko! Yukina…"

"Oh, her?" Remembering he had explained everything to Kuwabara when they were fighting Rando, he decided to tell the truth. "Yukina's the sister of one of the guys I fought during my first mission as Spirit Detective. You remember those two, I told you about them- Hiei and Kurama."

"Oh, right. So her brother's a criminal?"

"Not really. It only seemed like he was helping out Kurama. The only real bad guy in that trio was Goki. She and Hiei are staying with me until further notice, which I guess means until Hiei finds them a new place to live until his probation- ten years- is up."

"Oh. She's really pretty for a demon…"

Yusuke smirked. "So, I see your arms bend the right direction after what Rando did to you."

"Yeah, with Genkai's healing powers, I was only in bed for a day after the fight. And I think she even made me stronger! I could try 'em on you, if you want!"

Yusuke simply laughed. "Buddy, I'm afraid they'll send me to jail! After what I learned from the old lady, fighting you would be cruel."

"So was the training very hard?"

"Let's just say I'll be having nightmares for the next four years cause of all that crap I went through. Let's see… She had me float on one finger using my spirit energy for twelve hours, block energy attacks that could have killed me, then I sat and meditated on a bonfire for a week, oh- and I had to sleep with snakes for three weeks-"

"Ah! Okay, forget I asked! Just listing everything you did gives me the creeps."

"Yeah, but it was worth it for all the tricks I learned."

"Ooh… Now that's what I wanna see."

"See what?" Keiko returned carrying a tray of three drinks, followed by Yukina, who was curiously sipping her vanilla shake.

"Uh- Oh, yeah! Kuwabara was saying he wanted to see a movie, right?"

"Yeah… Movies. I love them."

"Oh! I know a great foreign art film! We can tae Yukina. She said she's never been in a theater before." Keiko smiled happily while Yukina was contemplating whether or not she enjoyed the cool beverage she was drinking- completely ignoring the others.

"Oh… great…" Yusuke's smile faltered, while Kuwabara sighed in defeat.

Yusuke glanced up outside of the movie theater, while Keiko tried to explain what the movie was about to Yukina.

"Hey, Keiko, I just remembered that me and Kuwabara need to pick up something at the store. We'll be back- five minutes tops."

"Well, okay- but if it's quick, Yukina and I could come with you."

"No! It's just a little embarrassing- it's a guy thing, okay? So you two go and save some seats for us, okay?"

"Well alright." Keiko called after the guys as they hurried off. "We'll be in the center row!"

Around the corner, Yusuke slowed down, his eyes narrowed.

"So what are we gonna buy with just guys? You need some itching cream or something?"

"We're not buying stuff. We're being followed."

Kuwabara glanced back at five school guys that seemed a little off.

"I caught a glimpse of them at the movie theater."

Kuwabara grinned. "Well, we've got the time. I say we have some fun with them." The two faced the group. "You jokers are in trouble now! My name's Kuwabara- the number one thug at Sariyoski Junior High."

Yusuke laughed. "Ha. No use in telling lies."

Kuwabara stepped back slightly as the five teens whipped out their Swiss army knives. "I don't think these guys are playing. We haven't even started and they're already pulling knives!"

The battle began in a frenzy of sluggish movements from the other group, accompanied with a zombie-like chant of 'Must kill.' The pair knocked them down easilly a few times, only getting back up without even a whimper of pain.

Kuwabara frowned. "Are they human? What do we do know?"

Yusuke made a fist. "Now we leave it to me." His fist glowed with spirit energy, ready to fire. The five ran at him, only making the teen smirk. "Shotgun!"

Multiple blue shots flew from his hand, showing an updated version of his original 'Spirit Gun.' The group fell back, finally defeated and then laying unconscious on the concrete.

Suddenly, Kuwabara glanced up. "Hold on, I feel something weird- something not that human." He looked up and saw a demon clad in an overcoat. "Something like that! Let's get him!"

The pair took off down alley ways after it, only to run into Botan- who had just knocked the demon out cold with her baseball bat.

"Botan?" Yusuke stared in surprise.

"I've been shadowing that one since he slipped through the barrier two days ago. I'm quite certain he's a spy from where you're going to as your next mission."

"Okay, Botan, you can stop right there! I got back from Grandma's evil boot camp today and I deserve a vacation! Why don't you call back in two years?"

"Then I guess you don't mind everyone in this city turning into a zombie!" Botan frowned.

Yusuke paused and looked back. "Does that question have a point?"

"Koenma got a message yesterday from an agent much like the one that we just walloped. The Saint Beasts had requested access to the living world."

"I don't get it. If Koenma's in charge, why can't he just deny the request? And who are these stupid Saint Beasts?"

"They are four of the most notorious criminals in all of Spirit World. The title 'Saint' was given to them by their followers. Later they locked themselves away to avoid capture in a booby trapped fortress. Since then, a whole city has formed at its base, filled with vile crooks who view the Beasts like gods. The City of Ghosts and Apparitions. Why don't you take a look at these boys you knocked out?"

Kuwabara and Yusuke gagged softly.

"Ugh. Tell me I didn't just see a bug crawl from his throat!" Yusuke watched it fly off.

"They're called Makai Insects, a parasite from the darker parts of Spirit World. They bury themselves under the skin and nurture itself off of the energy inside. Minds occupied by the insect develop a need for destruction, power, and murder. It will be a disaster."

Yusuke frowned. "Well, can't we help people? I mean, there's gotta be a cure."

"There is. But ordinary people can't see the insects. The inflicted will be merely seen as psychotic. And I'm afraid that a cure will not be first on the human's mind."

"Then what the hell are we supposed to do?" Yusuke clenched his fist.

"The only way to save everyone is to kill the insects. And the only way to do that is to destroy the whistle the enemies possess."

"A whistle?"

"Mhm. Without the whistle sustaining frequency, the insects can't live outside Spirit World."

"So, how long do we have until these beasts leave their castle and come to Earth themselves?"

"At this point, they can't. For years, we've had them trucked inside the city with a barrier wall. Now with this threat of insect invasion, they hope to force us to open the wall."

"I see, so they give you the whistle if you open the wall." Yusuke sighed.

"Instead, we'll make a small breach in the wall to let you in. Eventually, they'll find this hole themselves."

The detective frowned. "And what if I'm not able to beat them?"

Botan looked away. "I don't think I have to tell you what would happen if all the demons from that city were unleashed on Earth."

"I get to come too, right? Cause in case you guys forgot, I'm Kuwabara and I've got a sword!"

Botan sighed. "Well, I guess there's no arguing with the eager. Come on." She led them down to the basement of some building and began pounding around on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Kuwabara watched curiously.

"This was where they were supposed to put the breach in the barrier." Suddenly, a trap door appeared. "Bingo." She lifted the top for the two boys.

"You are gonna give us a rope ladder or something, right?" Yusuke stared with apprehension at the green fog inside.

"No, jumping down should land you safely on the outskirts of the city."

"Well, I guess there's no turning back!" Kuwabara jumped down into the abyss.

"Wow… He really jumped." Botan stared blankly at the hole. "Oh, Yusuke! I'm supposed to give you this communication mirror!"

"Jeez! You almost forgot to give me this!" Yusuke then gasped. "Oh, no! Kuwabara and I just dumped Keiko and Yukina off at the movie theater!" He grimaced at what Keiko would do to him. "Tell you what, Botan. You go settle things with her while I go down here- seeyabye!" and with that, Yusuke jumped down the hole.

_**

* * *

**_

_**Sorry for the lack of Hiei in this chapter! I promise he'll be back in Chapter 7!**_


	7. The Gate of Betrayal!

Kuwabara was leaning against a tree as Yusuke plummeted downwards. Catching himself on his feet, Yusuke straightened and looked around at the grassy plain just outside the City of Ghosts and Apparitions.

"Man, don't they normally send teams or something for this kind of thing?"

"Well, I'm here, Urameshi. I guess we're sort of a team."

"Che. Whatever."

"That's just like you to- uh, hey, Urameshi- who're these guys?"

Cloaked figures began to circle the pair, chanting 'Kill, kill!' Yusuke and Kuwabara began trying to take out the demons, but to no avail- as there seemed to be too many to fight at once.

"In need of assistance?"

Two figures that were hidden in the shadows of the tree Kuwabara was leaning on only a few moments before dropped down to the ground, revealing their identities to be a red-headed male in a school uniform and a shorter male in a black cloak. The two whirled around and took out the demons, which were flesh-eaters, and turned back to the two bewildered humans.

"Hahaha. Hey, guys!" The detective nudged the carrot-top in the side. "These two are Hiei and Kurama- you know, I told you about them."

"A pleasure."

"Hello. Yusuke, I see your spirit energy increased- although your friend's is lacking…"

"Why you little!" Kuwabara swung an angry punch at the fire demon, only to have him dodge it- no matter how surprised he was.

"Kurama, why is he acting like I just insulted him?"

"Aw, relax Kuwabara. Hiei means well." Yusuke smirked. "And besides, he's Yukina's brother."

"He is?" Kuwabara's eyes flickered between the shrimp and his rival.

Hiei glanced at the Urameshi. "He met Yukina?"

"Yeah, and he likes her quite a lot."

Hiei grew silent, pondering that new news.

"Don't you believe we should get going? Koenma sounded as if he was in a hurry when he called me." Kurama glanced at the protruding castle in the center of the city.

"Yeah, okay fox boy. Come on!" Yusuke ran off through the city, leaving the others to follow his pace.

The group of four stood facing a stone archway, the only gate into Maze Castle. Yusuke hardened his jaw and strode forward, followed closely by his three comrades. Hiei swallowed softly, feeling that seed of fear he had inside him take root. His crimson eyes swiveled up to Kurama's calm façade. Suddenly, a swooping shape caught all their attentions up ahead.

"Welcome to Maze Castle! Your first test will be the Gate of Betrayal!"

Yusuke watched the purple eyeball flutter around on its purple bat wings, eyes drifting to the lever one of its tentacles just pulled. Suddenly, the ceiling gave way, forcing the four to hold the roof above their heads. Hiei gasped as the sudden force almost made his leg give way. The eyeball demon simply cackled from its unknown mouth.

"The stone is weighted according to each of your maximum strength! However, there is enough leeway to let one of you escape. That is why it is called the Gate of Betrayal!"

Yusuke grimaced. "Well, how the hell are we supposed to get out of this?"

"Thanks for the optimism, Urameshi!"

"Shut up, Kuwabara."

Hiei struggled softly with his weight portion, hoping the detective found a way to get them out of this. He took a chance to glance over at the kitsune, seeing his determined expression. He eyes swiveled back to the teen in green as his name was spoken.

"Hey, Hiei?"

"What is it?" The fire demon glanced at the Urameshi.

"You're faster than all of us combined, so why don't you run out there and flip the switch, okay?"

Hiei swallowed softly. "You really think I can make it in time?"

"Well, yeah. Here- I'll let out all my spirit energy to cover your piece of the weight. That way, you have a little more time."

Hiei looked down. They were counting on him to save them. A smile slipped across his mouth as a determined look flickered into his eyes. A swift nod was all he gave before he took off.

The flying eye fluttered down next to the fire demon- whose hand was resting on the switch- and would have smirked if it had a mouth.

"Come now, Master Hiei. Do you really want to save those weaklings? Just imagine- my masters would gladly train you to become even more of a swordsman. They would even offer protectiong for your sister."

Hiei faltered. "Yukina…"

"That's it… Just let go of the switch."

"Hiei! What are you waiting for?" Yusuke called out in a panic as the roof began lowering slowly downwards again.

Hiei murmured under his breath softly. "I can't accept your offer…"

"Fine, then." The eye turned away. "The boulder would have crushed you anyway."

Hiei's crimson orbs narrowed, upset about being tricked. His sword flew from its sheath and returned in a blink of an eye, leaving the purple eye staggering with a long bloody cut across its cornea. The fire demon pulled the switch. Suddenly, a bolder crashed down right where he was standing just as the ceiling ceased its movements.

"Hiei!" The Spirit Detective dashed out from the small cavern left in the entryway.

The shorter demon hopped down from his perch and appeared beside the trio. Yusuke grinned and patted his back, knocking Hiei off balance slightly.

Kuwabara grinned madly. "I guess you're alright, Hiei."

Kurama chuckled at the fire demon's startled expression. Red eyes stared up in wonder at the two humans, accepting and joyful. Hiei let another smile play across his lips, glad that he found people who liked him the way he was. The group took off with a laugh, heading towards the chamber that held their next challenge.

Botan sighed as she knocked down another human being controlled by the Makai insects with her baseball bat. She shaded her purple eyes and stared up at the bug infested skies, sighing at the large task she had in front of her.

"I do hope Yusuke is alright."

Her blue ponytail flew out behind her as she took off after another one of the insects' victims.


	8. Of Roses and Love

A loud chuckle echoed around the stone chamber, forcing the four heroes to pause in their tracks. The lights flared up to reveal a true menace. A large stone beast filled the room, baring a spiked and stony shell on his back and a long pointed tail of boulders. His stony head was crowned with granite spikes.

"Ah-ha-ha! My name is Genbu, the rock giant! Come at me all at once to make your deaths swift and painless!"

Yusuke's eyes narrowed. "Alright, let me handle this guy…"

The red-head placed a hand on the detective's arm, holding him back. "No, Yusuke. I'll handle this one. You'll need your strength to take out their leader."

The teen nodded and watched Kurama head forwards. Genbu smirked as he saw only one of the group come towards him.

"Alright- one at a time. More fun for me!" The rock giant began laughing again.

Kuwabara turned towards the other two in the group. "Does Kurama know what he's doing? I mean… he looks a little… scrawny."

"I dunno. I've never seen him fight before. What about you Hiei?" Yusuke frowned softly.

Hiei watched the kitsune with an unwavering expression of faith. "Trust me, Kurama can handle him easily. He may not look it, but he is the most cunning and bloodthirsty demon I have ever met. I would be surprised if he didn't make this demon look like an old fool. It's one of the reasons I became friends with him: I would much rather be on his side than against him."

The two humans turned back to the two demons about to begin their fight. They watched as Genbu swung his mighty pointed tail towards the fox. He dodged the missile-like projectile only barely, leaving a bleeding slit across his stomach. The red-head stumbled into a landing, his eyes narrowing with a plan. The trio watching studied the battle intently, hoping the kitsune knew what he was doing.

Kurama straightened, smirking softly. He held his ground even though his front was aching. Genbu grinned and sunk into the stone floor before their eyes. They gasped softly, not expecting the odd ability. The room fell silent, except for the echoing laughter of their enemy.

"You see, Princess, my body is a part of this whole room, giving my body the ability to meld with the solid stone!"

Suddenly, Genbu flew out from behind the fox, causing Kurama to barely dodge the Saint Beast once again. The kitsune righted himself, smirking and pulling out a single red rose from beneath his red locks.

Kuwabara stared blankly at the red-head. "A rose? What's he gonna do, ask him on a date?"

"I dunno… maybe." Yusuke turned to the little fire demon, seeing the look of confidence in his red eyes.

Kurama smirked and threw his arm up in the air with practiced aim, the rose beginning to change forms. The flower shrunk to nothing, the petals scattering around the room and leaving a fresh scent. The stem of the flower grew to a great length, its thorns growing and sharpening to a deadly point.

"Rose Whip!"

Kuwabara looked around at the falling petals, taking in the revealing of the fox's signature attack. "Smells….Fruity. I dunno if I like it…"

Hiei gave the human a blank look. "It's a flower…. Not a fruit…"

The kitsune grinned as Genbu slunk back into the stone, using the purified scent of the roses to track the demon's putrid stench. As Genbu emerged with a triumphant smirk, Kurama whirled around, slashing his whip through the air and catching Genbu off guard. The stone demon burst into pieces, a shimmering stone catching the fox's skilled eye.

"Whoa…" Yusuke grinned widely at the seemingly easy win for the fox.

Kuwabara stared wide-eyed at the display. "Dare I say…Flower Power?"

Kurama's eyes narrowed, knowing that victories weren't always as quick as they seemed. He was right. Genbu pulled himself back together, chuckling manically. Kurama faced the demon with cold emerald eyes. The Saint Beast exploded into rock projectiles, leaving the fox to dodge them with expert agility. Sharp green eyes caught a flashing object once again. Genbu reassembled on the opposite side of the room, barely leaving the red-head enough time before firing himself once again. Although when he reassembled a second time, he noticed the fox somehow ended up on the roof of the cavern.

"Huh? How'd you get up there?"

The four fighters cracked up laughing on seeing the positioning of the stone beast's appendages. His arms, legs and tail decorated the upper half of his body, leaving his head to rest over the spot at the base of his spine. The little group couldn't stop laughing as Kurama revealed the demon's main control element, the flashing rock he had noticed earlier. With a swift movement, he threw the rock into the air, shattering it with his whip and destroying Genbu along with it.

The trio watching ran forward, congratulating the kitsune and checking to see if he was alright. They grinned and hurried off down the hallway on the opposite side of the room.

Botan grimaced as she raced through the city, beating off as many of the Makai Insects as she could find. She swung her bat at the back of an infected man's head, wincing at the sound of the crack the bat made. She sighed softly over the unconscious man, worried about how Yusuke and the others were doing against the Saint Beasts.

The group hurried through the corridors and up a twisting flight of stairs. Suddenly the passageway opened up to reveal their next foe, a large blue tiger demon. Kuwabara frowned while analyzing the obnoxious nature of the cat, hearing him shout out the same threats Genbu had made- only announcing himself as Byakko.

"I'll take this one." Kuwabara released his Spirit Sword.

Hiei watched the big oaf with curious eyes. "Do you understand that this will not be like anything else you've ever faced, right?"

The carrot-top nodded. "Yeah. I can sense his demon energy from here."

The fire demon pointed a finger at the human. "Don't die. You'll break my sister's heart."

Kuwabara grinned and raced towards Byakko. "For Yukina!"

Byakko plucked strands of green hair from his furry head, following up a claim of 'You couldn't even defeat a hair off my head!' Before the group's eyes, the strands morphed into large, furry pig-like creatures- obviously carnivorous. Kuwabara fought defensively against the monsters, yelping like an idiot. Suddenly, he got an idea and began hurtling back towards the tower. The monsters followed doggedly: unaware of his brilliant plan.

Kazuma turned when he had almost reached the trio watching, pointing his sword straight at the monsters and yelling:

"Spirit Sword, get longer!"

The orange flaming sword sprung forward, running each of the monsters through end-to-end. He beamed at the idea but quickly realized a problem.

"Cool! It worked! Uh…What do I do now?"

"You idiot!" Yusuke cupped he hands over his mouth in a megaphone-like stance. "Why didn't you think that through?"

"Like you would have, Urameshi!"

Kuwabara then got another idea, hurtling toward the group while dragging the struggling creatures with him. The group dodged out of the way, watching as the human began circling on the ledge surrounding the staircase enclosure.

"He knows it's a circle, right?" Hiei looked up at Kurama with a questioning glance.

Finally Kuwabara reached the other end of his Spirit Sword, tying the ends together. "There! I call it the Spirit… Monster Beast… Doughnut…"

The little gang cracked up laughing again, appreciating the comical name.

Kurama smirked softly. "I think Spirit Monster Beast Doughnut is a perfect name."

"Now for you!" Kuwabara raised a new sword and pointed it at Byakko, hurtling forward.

The giant cat laughed aloud, leaping down from the pedestal he was standing on. Kuwabara resembled an ant compared to the enormous size of their enemy. Undeterred, the carrot-top continued forwards, swinging his sword against the cat's rock-hard muscular body. He pulled back just in time to miss a swipe from a furry blue paw. He attacked again, this time turning into a slice at Byakko's side. The battle continued one-sided for a while, the trio on the sidelines watching in earnest.

Kurama frowned, noticing something strange. Hiei glanced up at the fox, noticing the same thing. "It seems like Kuwabara is the one acting defeated, although Byakko is taking all the attacks."

"Yes, I noticed the same thing…"

Yusuke frowned and turned to the two demons. "Well, how the hell does that make sense? Shouldn't Byakko be the one panting like an idiot?"

"Theoretically." The kitsune turned back to the fight. "I fear we may have fallen into Byakko's trap."

Kuwabara panted hard, resting his hands on his knees while staring up at the unaffected feline giant. He wiped some sweat off his forehead, calling his Spirit Sword up once again. He noticed with a gasp that his energy made the sword shrink dramatically, leaving it about a foot shorter than it normally was. His eyes narrowed, clenching his jaw to keep his mind from shutting down from exertion. He stared up as his rival, swearing that the cat had grown since the fight began.

"What…the hell is going…on?"

Byakko cackled loudly. "No matter how many times you hit me with that puny sword, it will have no effect! You see, my body is very particular. I feast off of the energy of my foes!" The laugher grew louder, sounding similar to a tiger's roar.

Yusuke watched with apprehension, knowing his buddy was in for a rough ride. "Kuwabara! Come back! Let me handle him!"

"No, Urameshi! I can handle him. I'm a lot stronger than I used to be. I can take him! I have to! … I will for my Yukina." Kuwabara remembered back when he first saw the young Ice Maiden. He believed strongly in love at first sight, and when he saw her, he knew. He loved Yukina. He had a pinky string to prove it.

"For Yukina!" The wielder of the Spirit Sword ran at the tiger, slicing down his sword until it evaporated into the air.

"Ha-ha! You are truly and idiot if you believe you can win!" Byakko stared down at the tiny human with a gleam of triumph in his feline eyes.

Kuwabara huffed softly, sweat beading down his face. He stared down at his empty hands with determination, forming a plan in his banged-up head. Summoning up every drop of energy left in his body, he formed a full Spirit Sword. His friends gasped in horror as they realized what he was about to do. Kazuma ran full-tilt towards the giant growing cat, plunging his sword directly into the feline's stomach. The sword disappeared, causing the carrot-top to fall to his exhausted knees. Byakko began to laugh but stopped when his body began to rumble violently. They all watched as the tiger stumbled backwards, toppling over the edge of the platform into the misty abyss below. A loud explosion rocked their bodies, leaving the group staring at the place Byakko went over. They grabbed their composures and ran towards their fallen friend. Kuwabara began to lift himself from the ground as the group reached him.

"Are you alright, Kuwabara?" Yusuke helped his friend to his feet.

Kazuma stretched his arms slightly, a grin spreading across his lips. "Yeah. All my Spirit Energy returned to me after the explosion. I feel fine! And all thanks to my darling Yukina."

Hiei rolled his eyes.

"Come on, you big idiot. Two down, two to go!" Yusuke laughed and took off across the platform and into the room. The remaining group grinned and hurried after the Spirit Detective.

Hiei smiled softly, letting a quiet whisper slip from his lips. "Thank you, Kuwabara."

The group dashed through the next open doorway, gasping at the sight they saw. A large room was filled with large stone pedestals, and the floor was flooded with boiling lava. The biggest shock of all was who was standing across the room from them. With a toothy smirk plastered across his face, Byakko waited for a second round against the Reikai Tentai.


	9. Not a Real Chapter Just a Little Update

To all you readers who enjoyed reading "What If":

I apologize for taking forever to update and will complete the story entirely before I update again. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. I promise I'll get back to it. Seriously.


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